I was born at home, 1445 N. 8th Street in Milwaukee, WI on February 23, 1941. The oldest daughter of three brothers and three sisters of which my sister, Renee passed away at 28 years of age.

I attended Lee Street School, St. Benedict the Moor Grade School, St. Catherine’s High School in Racine, WI, studied for three years to become a Dominican sister; returned to St. Benedict the Moor High School and graduated in 1959; graduated from Milwaukee Area Technical College as an L.P.N. in 1974; graduated from ITT Career Training around 1984.

My working career as various as my poems: an L.P.N., Social Work Aide, Alcoholism/Drug Counselor, secretary to the Dean of Students in Milwaukee, WI; also worked for the American Red Cross in St. Croix and Milwaukee; secretary to a Senator in Christiansted, and at the first Kmart in Frederiksted, US Virgin Islands.

My love for the Veterans encouraged me to volunteer at the USO in Milwaukee, WI and St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.

I was married for twenty-four years, have two daughters, one son, one granddaughter and two grandsons. Joe W. Cocroft passed away the day before Thanksgiving, November 21, 2007, at 68 years of age. A dream three months earlier that he had passed away I had written down, but forgot about it. I truly miss Joe. We were divorced for twenty-four years, yet remained friends up until his death.

“My Magic Mirror,” my first booklet of poetry was self-published in 1988.